


The Princess and The Eagle

by danverssisters



Category: Power Rangers, Power Rangers Wild Force
Genre: KIND of canon, Kind of Alternate Universe, Revenge of Zen-Aku
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-04
Updated: 2019-11-04
Packaged: 2021-01-23 04:59:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21314566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/danverssisters/pseuds/danverssisters
Summary: Taylor fails to protect Princess Shayla when Zen-Aku returns to exact his revenge. She doubts if she is worthy to be a Ranger, but the other Rangers rally with her to save their mentor.
Relationships: Taylor Earhardt/Princess Shayla
Comments: 1
Kudos: 7





	The Princess and The Eagle

It wasn’t unusual for Princess Shayla to be by the sacred waters of Animarium through the night. 

It wasn’t unusual for Taylor to be watching her from a distance either.

The Princess was pensive. There was something about Zen-Aku that did not sit right with her, but she couldn’t figure out what it was. The Rangers needed her guidance now, and she could not provide it without having a clear idea of what exactly about Zen-Aku unsettled her. She had to find out more.

“Princess Shayla, where are you going?” Taylor asked, when she saw her walking away.

The Princess turned around, her worry clear on her face, but a small smile appeared when she saw Taylor.

“It’s just you and me now. Why the formality, I wonder?”

Taylor smiled, crossing her arms, “What’s wrong, Shay? We’ll get Zen-Aku, I promise.”

“I’m going back to where you first met Zen-Aku. I have a very bad feeling about him. Perhaps, I can find out why.”

“I’m coming with you.”

Shayla nodded, knowing there was no way to change Taylor’s mind. Taylor walked towards her, took the Princess’ hand in her own and together, they started towards the tomb site.

“Are the others Rangers okay?”

“As okay they can be. Max and Alyssa are both upset that they lost their Zord crystals to Zen-Aku. Cole and Danny are trying their best to keep their spirits up,” Taylor sighed, “I know what you mean about there being something odd about Zen-Aku. He…doesn’t seem like all the other orgs we’ve come across. No org would’ve taken care of an injured Ranger, but he did. The spirit of Animus came to him as well.”

“I understand, Taylor. I know you all must be extremely confused. I will figure it out.”

Taylor held Shayla by the waist, helping her down a ridge. “You don’t have to pretend with me. It’s bothering you as well. You can tell me the truth.”

Shayla knew she couldn’t lie to Taylor – she shouldn’t. Taylor had been by her side almost as long as she had been awoken after 3000 years. She was the first Ranger of this generation.

Taylor was her girlfriend.

“Something about him feels familiar,” Shayla admitted, “Like, I know something about him already.”

“We’ll figure it out,” Taylor said softly, but the tension was rolling off Shayla in waves, “Hey, Shay, stop for a second.”

Taylor held Shayla’s face in her hands, resting their foreheads against each other’s, gently nudging her flower crown. The sun had started to rise, the morning rays making Taylor’s hair seem even lighter than they were.

“It’ll be okay. We’ve faced worse before, but we’ve always come out stronger. Together, all of us will solve this too.”

Shayla let out a laugh, feeling her heart warm with love. Taylor was never as earnest and sincere as she was when she tried to comfort her. 

“Who know Lieutenant Taylor Earhardt would end up being such a team player,” she teased.

“Shut up,” Taylor smiled, “Let’s go, we should try to be back before the others are awake.”

By the time they reached the tomb site, the sun was bright in the sky. There was nothing as peaceful as the mornings in Animarium. However, as they looked closer, they saw that a tomb was broken.

They both rushed ahead, Taylor scanning the area for any threats as Shayla examined the shattered tomb site.

“What is it? What do you sense?” Taylor asked.

Shayla ran her hand over the concrete pieces, “Something is very wrong here.”

Suddenly, a sound interrupted the morning quiet. An engine revving, like a motorcycle.

Taylor’s heart sank, as she pulled Shayla to her feet, taking a few cautious steps back. The sound. The smell of gasoline. It was overpoweringly familiar, like déjà vu. But she couldn’t see anything.

A rush of air and heat passed between Taylor and the Princess, knocking them both to their feet. Taylor rushed to her feet, looking to check if Shayla was okay, when she saw the org.

“It’s been a long time, Ranger Yellow.”

The org was different now. Bigger, stronger, uglier. Not quite the same, but enough for her to recognize it.

“I remember you. It’s been a long time since we put you away,” Taylor said.

The org laughed, “I was only a scooter back then. Now, I’m a turbo charged motorcycle, and it’s time to chop you down to size.”

Taylor clenched her fists, running forward as he began his attack. Taylor let out punch after punch, kick after kick, but the org was pushing back harder. Taylor kept taking the hits – and delivering her own – without stopping. The Yellow Ranger may not be the leader, but she was strong, experienced and unrelenting.

She wasn’t going to lose to it. Not again.

“Taylor!”

The pain of her injuries and the exhaustion of the fight faded from Taylor’s mind when she saw the Princess in Zen-Aku’s clutches.

“Shayla, no!” Taylor yelled, running towards her, her focus only on her girlfriend now. 

“Not so fast, Sparky,” Taylor didn’t hear the org activating its blaster, and she was suddenly enveloped in heat and dust, concrete from the tomb sites crumbling around her as she fell to the ground.

She coughed, struggling to breathe as she used her arms to try and push herself up, but she couldn’t move.

Shayla struggled under Zen-Aku’s grip, trying to rip her arm free so she could help Taylor, when he paused, and his eyes were on her necklace. When he looked at her again, she couldn’t help but pause. The doubt, the feeling of it all being so strange, was back. Yet, she still could not figure out why.

“Let her go,” Taylor shouted, desperately trying to get her legs out from underneath the piece of concrete that was pinning her down.

“So long, Ranger,” the org said triumphantly, stalking towards her.

“Leave her for later,” Zen-Aku instructed, unrelenting on his grip on the Princess.

“But why not finish her now?” the org revved his engine.

“Revenge cannot be rushed.”

Taylor and Shayla’s eyes met, the former grappling to get herself free and get her girlfriend to safety.

Zen-Aku pulled the Princess along, as the org stepped over Taylor to join them.

“Shay!”

“Taylor, it’s okay,” Shayla shouted, “I’ll be okay.”

“I’ll find you.” Taylor could barely get the words out before the three materialized into thin air, leaving behind nothing but the defeated Ranger.

The reality of the situation sunk in. She couldn’t protect the Princess, her mentor, the person most important to her, and one of the primary purposes of being one of the chosen protectors.

The silence enveloped her, as did the pain, when a feeling of dread overcame her. After repeated tries, she finally pushed herself out from under the rocks, and dragged herself to rest against a tomb. Exhaustion burned her every nerve. She pulled out her growl phone, connecting to the rest of the team.

“Alyssa, the Princess has been kidnapped. Gather the boys and come to the tomb site.” 

“We’re on our way,” Alyssa reassured, but there was evident panic in her voice, and Taylor couldn’t help but feel guiltier.

She couldn’t protect Animarium’s Princess.

Anger, at Zen-Aku, at the situation – at herself – burned inside her and she tried to stand, but she couldn’t. The fight with the org took out of her more than she was willing to admit. She lay back against the concrete, her eyes closing and hopelessness replaced the anger.

It felt like hours, but after a few minutes, the other Rangers rushed in, morphed up. 

“Taylor!” Alyssa called out, and she had to force her eyes open.

“Are you okay? How did Zen-Aku take the Princess?” Cole asked, crouching down next to her. Danny and Max reached out to help her to her feet.

“Wait, wait,” Taylor stopped them, pushing their hands away.

“Taylor, what’s wrong?” Cole asked, her uncharacteristically obvious distress clear to him.

It was unusual for Taylor to not maintain her mask of calm and determination.

It was unusual for Taylor’s face to be colored with panic and pain.

“I can’t feel my legs.”


End file.
